Men's Role In Early Colonial America

1024 Words5 Pages

The first colony was founded at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. Many of the people who settled in the New World came to escape religious persecution and various other reasons. In this paper we will explore the many roles both male and female colonists as well as Native Africans played. In the colonies gender played a large role in everyday life. Men 's roles and Females roles throughout the colonies differed vastly from today 's cultural norms. Men were held to a higher standard throughout the early colonies. Several things classified males as being a productive man in society at this time. Being a male in early colonial life certain societal standards. Early colonial men were to be to be educated. Education during this time period was only open to those who could afford to pay for grammar school. Only the rich who could afford this luxury attended. Often times children whose family could not afford attending school would take up trades or often work from an early age. Another factor that would consider being a male is part taking the local government. Government in the early colonies consisted of only white males. White men were the only ones allowed to vote to elect government officials. Although men could vote they could only if they were land owners. Owning land was a staple in the early colonial life. Although women were allowed to buy land it was more common with males during this time. One male 's society duties were the have and maintain a family. Men were expected

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